Volume CXIII, Issue 8 Tues., Feb. 12, 2019 The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School WHHSCBOX.COM
pg.4-5 NEWS SPREAD- One year after the Parkland shooting, students have helped bring change to gun legislation
pg. 6 Sports- Pin it to win it with the members of the growing WHHS Wrestling team
pg. 7 Features- Black Culture Club has planned several activities to recognize Black History Month at WHHS
Daniel Perrea
SENIOR strings together short films and music scores TRENT WILLHITE/ CHATTERBOX
SENIOR Daniel Perrea started playing music when he was just four years old, but he didn’t start composing until his freshman year at WHHS. “I got an iPad and a notation program and just wrote down ideas I had. Since then, I’ve been learning more and more,” Perrea said. He has produced music for several WHHS theater performances, including Cherry Orchard, Julius Caesar and She Kills Monsters.
Grace Sublett, ‘19 Most 10 year olds spend their days running around playing sports outside or new video games, but that was not SENIOR Daniel Perrea. At just ten years old, Perrea became the youngest person ever to enter the 48 Hour Film Festival where he had to create a short film in just two days. “I kind of went into it not knowing what I was doing, but it was nonetheless really fun, and I learned a ton! You don’t realize how much work goes into making a short film until you have to do it in two days,” Perrea said. Perrea’s filmmaking journey started long before the 48 Hour Film Festival. At just age six, Perrea spent his time creating disaster scenes with Halloween decorations as special effects. “I used to build cities out of blocks on this table in the basement, and then I would set a camera up on a tripod and shake the table to sim-
ulate an earthquake,” Perrea said. For Perrea, filmmaking is more than just running around with a camera and a few props; to him, it is creating stories that people can enjoy and love. “It’s a creative outlet where I’m able to combine all my visual, audible and narrative ideas into a satisfying final product. And I won’t hesitate to say that it’s just fun,” Perrea said. Filmmaking has given Perrea the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for a Universal Studios film intensive. He also traveled across the country to film a documentary on Frank Lloyd Wright for National History Day that went on to win first place for best individual documentary in the state in 2015. “I was fortunate enough to fly out West to view some of [Wright’s] homes there, but I also traveled to Chicago to view some of his most famous buildings. Wright most
of his life lived and was based out of Chicago so there are lots of buildings of his
“I guess you could say I first started composing when I was four and I’d improvise little sonatas on the piano. Since then I have always been able to sit down at the piano and just play inf initely, “ Perrea said. After a few years of being away from the piano, Perrea found his way back to it in eighth grade. As he reunited with piano, Perrea reached out to composer Nelson Everhart in hopes that he would be able to shed some
“It’s a creative outlet where I’m able to combine all my visual, audible and narrative ideas into a satisfying final product. And I won’t hesitate to say that it’s just fun.” - SENIOR Daniel Perrea up there,” Perrea said. When Perrea is not creating short films, he can be found composing his own music.
light on the world of composing. With the help of teachers and Everhart, Perrea has been able to grow as a composer and share his talents with the WHHS community. In 2016, Perrea composed music for the WHHS production of Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. His compositions for the show earned him his first Cincinnati Cappie Award nomination. Since his work on Cherry Orchard, Perrea has produced music for other WHHS performances such as Julius Caesar and She Kills Monsters. He received his second Cappie nomination for his pieces in She Kills Monsters. Perrea is still undecided as to where he will go to college next year as he waits to hear back from schools, but he plans to study both film production and film scoring.
STYLE & CULTURE
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
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SECTION EDITOR: DELANEY OWENS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
A model student
From being photographed by her older sister to being featured in a Pantene ad, Sabina Hordinski’s modeling career has taken off. Elizabeth Ramos, ‘20 Sabina Hordinski, ‘20, never planned on becoming a model. Her interest started when her older sister, Madeleine Hordinski, ‘16, asked her to pose for some photos to help improve her photography skills. When Sabina’s sister first came to her, she just needed a model to help make an idea come alive. Her work then progressed from capturing scenes of Sabina painting or reading to up-close portraits, allowing her appearance to become the prominent element of the pieces. As an up-and-coming photojournalist, Madeleine used social media platforms to broadcast her work in a way that more people could see it. Rather than deciding to branch out on her own, Sabina caught the eye of those interested in using models. Through the photos posted on Madeleine’s Instagram, a myriad of companies and independent businesses began contact-
ing Sabina regarding modeling jobs. Though she never thought of modeling professionally, she saw no harm in accepting the offers. Sabina de-
scribes the shoots as varying in process. Most of the time, she is instructed to come to the shoot without makeup and in casual clothing. From there, depending on the shoot, the artists will do her makeup and dress her accordingly. A natural look is frequently her trademark; however, the company
may sometimes do a more unique look in order to create a focal point on a certain area of the face. Sabina’s largest shoot that caught the most attention was a Pantene advertisement she modeled for earlier this year. The photographs center around her face as the main point in order to sell Pantene’s hair products. “The most attention I have received from an ad is definitely the photos I did for Pantene, but I had another shoot with a magazine called Pattern in Indianapolis. I got to be on the front cover which was pretty cool,” Sabina said. The modeling she usually partakes in is just photographs, but she has done video advertisements on occasion. Through the preface of “Exploring the Bounds of Technology,” a STEM Program invited Sabina to participate in one of their films. “It was a video of me watching myself on another video, but it was live. I would see myself moving in real time, and overall it was a very different set up than I was used to,” Sabina said. Modeling is an enjoyable
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MADELEINE HORDINSKI
Sabina Hordinski, ‘20, got her start in modeling by posing for her sister, photographer Maddie Hordinski, ‘16. In the last two years, Sabina has pursued modeling jobs including a magazine cover and a Pantene advertisement. hobby for Sabina where she gets paid to simply be herself. However, she does not see herself making a serious career out of it. “I am not into all of the superficial aspects of modeling, so I don’t think I want to get too serious about it. I probably will continue doing it in college to make money but I don’t plan on pursuing it after that,” Sabina said. Sabina handles the logistics of the shoots for herself without involving her parents much. “It’s mostly people just reaching out to me and asking me to come a certain place on a given day,
so it is very casual,” Sabina said. With people constantly taking photos of her, Sabina said that modeling has affected her selfesteem. On one hand, she feels flattered to have people want to use her as a model but, on the other hand, it leaves her worried about what flaws she may have. “The camera will show everything. It’s hard to not wonder if I could change some aspects of myself, but then I have to remind myself that these people want to use me as a model for a reason, and that reassures me a bit more,” Sabina said.
of sleep and wake and changes in light sensitivity of the eyes. Psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal was the first to describe SAD in 1984, and he has since researched the condition globally. He describes several symptoms that occur with SAD such as difficulty waking up, lack of concentration and energy, anxiety and decreased social interaction. According to Mental Health America, about five percent of Americans experience SAD, and more experience Winter Blues. According to Rosenthal, women are about four times more likely to be diagnosed with SAD than men are. He also notes that students, particularly college students, are uniquely susceptible to seasonal depression. Students are likely to have unusual circadian rhythms, and are susceptible to academic stress. Rosenthal also cites geographic factors. In Fairbanks, Alaska, 9.2 percent of the population was diagnosed with SAD, and 19.1 percent with Winter Blues. However, in sunny Sarasota, Fla., 1.4 percent had SAD, and 2.6 percent had Winter Blues. Like other forms of depression, doctors may recommend exercise, antidepressants or psychotherapy to treat SAD and Winter Blues. However, light therapy is
the treatment most often associated with seasonal conditions. Bright light therapy can be conducted through routinely spending time outdoors, or through artificial means with devices called light boxes. Light box therapy requires the user to sit near a light, which can be about 100 times brighter than typical indoor lights. Most light boxes produce 10,000 lux, while a sunny day can equate to over 50,000 lux. Light therapy is also used to treat other forms of depression and sleep disorders, as well as jet lag. Scandinavia, an area that is heavily affected by lack of sunlight and seasonal depression, has used the principles of light therapy on a large scale. The town of Rjukan, Norway is equipped with huge mirrors that reflect sunlight into the town, and Sweden is home to several light therapy cafe-clinics. Light therapy has been used in classrooms in winter to simulate spring conditions to study the effects of light on alertness and sleep. Although Cincinnati does not experience a Scandinavian winter, the effects of seasonal affective disorder can be just as prevalent. If you are experiencing depression, talk to a parent, school mental health counselor or primary care physician.
Facing seasonal depression
DELANEY OWENS /CHATTERBOX
One treatment for seasonal depression is light therapy. Light therapy can be conducted at home with small, desktop lamps which are available online from companies such as Circadian Optics and Verilux. Delaney Owens, ‘21
As WHHS students wade through the depths of third quarter, with the holidays behind them and the stresses of course optioning setting in, many might notice changes in their mood and stress level. But for those
with seasonal depression, the darker and colder months can come with more severe effects. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression, is recognized as a subtype of depression which is experienced in fall and winter. A more subdued and common version of the
condition is called Winter Blues. Seasonal depression is caused primarily by lack of sunlight, stress or a biological predisposition to the condition. It results from a slower transmission of serotonin, a chemical that affects mood, problems in the body’s daily circadian rhythms
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PEANUTS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
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SECTION EDITORS: HEAVEN ONLEY
REHME LEANZA/CHATTERBOX
Ella Morris, ‘22, sometimes feels overwhelmed with the daily stresses of student life. However, there are many ways to counteract this stress such as utilizing good study habits, a healthy sleep schedule and diet and knowing when to take breaks. “Hey Piper, my test scores are starting to get lower and I’m starting to worry about them dropping my grade. What should I do?” -Perplexed Penelope Hi Penelope! First things first, don’t stress too much about your test scores. There are many helpful tips and tricks that can ensure that your grade will not fall in whatever class you are struggling in. Since tests are weighed more and an important part of your grade, here are some key things that can lead you to success with testing.
One thing that is very important to focus on that may not seem like it is your diet. Make sure you drink a lot of water. It keeps your mind awake and invigorated and hydration is key. I don’t advise drinking coffee before a test because although it keeps you awake for a good amount of time, it doesn’t necessarily aid your brain as much as water can. Fruits like oranges and blueberries and nuts such as cashews are great brain power boosters as well. It is important to make the most of your morning. Preparation before is key as well.
Make sure you organize your study area so your brain isn’t all over the place while you study. Using previous tests, flow charts and diagrams to practice will definitely increase the probability of passing your tests. Organizing study groups with your friends can also be helpful because you can explain certain ideas and concepts together and it can be fun. Try not to cram and study for tests the night before because it can hurt more than it can help. Give your brain some rest and take breaks in between the times you study. For example, study for about an
Piper Peanut: Strategies for how to approach tests hour for two days and on the third day take a break. You think better when your mind isn’t so overwhelmed with information. Make sure you are well rested to be able to perform 100 percent the next day. Get about seven and a half to eight hours of sleep beforehand. Follow these tips and you should be more successful! When you take your test, don’t rush. Pace yourself so you are able to answer all questions. Ask your teacher any questions you have about notes one or two days before the test. Clarifying anything you have a question on can be a big help. If
you are confused about a question on the test, don’t be afraid to ask your teacher because there might be another student who is confused on the same thing. Last but not least, don’t cheat! Cheating is obviously not the right thing to do, and ultimately it will not help you with your grade, and it will not help you learn the content. Try your best and do what you can do. Don’t push yourself too hard for a perfect grade. Best Wishes, Piper
Junior high wrestlers ready to rumble
HAJRA MUNIR/CHATTERBOX
The WHHS Junior High, Junior Varsity and Varsity Wrestling teams pose together after practice. The teams now have a total of over 20 members, a much improved number from last season’s two members.
Hajra Munir, ‘23 Kaylee Robbins, ‘24 WHHS has not always had the strongest wrestling team. Last year, the junior high team started with only four athletes, and by the end of the season, only two remained. Stephan Jackson, ‘23, was part of the Walnut Hills wrestling team last year. It was Jackson’s first year wrestling. The team was understaffed and only
had two players, but Jackson persevered through the year. “We’ve been through so much, especially with a new program,” Jackson said. Christian Courtney, ‘23, is the other player from last year. He decided to remain on the team because he had hope for more teammates and coaches the next season. “Just never give up and you will see the results,” Courtney said. Coming from only having
two players, the Junior High, Junior Varsity and Varsity Wrestling teams have made quite a bit of progress with now having around 20 people attending practice everyday. One of the newest promising wrestlers on the team is Ayden Riashi, ‘24. Riashi comes from a wrestling family. His father wrestled in high school and he is looking forward to wrestling in the future. “He is an amazing wrestler. He
is super tough, even though he only weighs like 80 pounds.” Said coach Estevan Molina. Molina expects great things to come from Riashi in future years to come. Riashi practices four days a week, and his work pays off on the mat with a record of 182. Riashi has wrestled for several years and continues to work his way to the top of the league. “Just have a good mindset and always push yourself even when
you think you can’t go further,” Riashi said. Riashi believes pushing yourself and always working hard is key to not only becoming a good wrestler, but a better athlete. If you are interested in joining the wrestling team or seeing them at a match, you can find them at their practices on all school nights except Wednesday and their matches on the weekend.
The Chatterbox Policy Statement The Chatterbox has been guaranteed the right of freedom of the press through the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The administration of Walnut Hills High School is thus bound to support and protect the Chatterbox’s inalienable rights as a free press. As an integral part of the Walnut Hills High School community, the Chatterbox has the responsibility to report in the most comprehensive and objective manner possible. Students,
parents, faculty, and administrators are encouraged to use this publication as a forum to express any ideas or concerns, whether they be personal or of local, national, or international scope. Journalists are required to work under established guidelines. Invasion of privacy as a means of news gathering is prohibited. Articles found to be discriminatory, libelous, or unnecessarily obscene (as determined by the editors or the advisor) will not be published. Finally, journalists are granted the right to keep private the name of
a source from whom they received information with the understanding that the source was to remain anonymous. The role of the newspaper advisor will be to provide counsel and criticism pertaining to the newspaper’s content and production. Although both the advisor and the administration hold certain powers regarding the Chatterbox, both must respect the paper’s autonomy. No student shall be prevented from joining the staff on the basis of sex, race, creed or national origin.
SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13
The Chatterbox Editorial Staff Matthew Youkilis, Editor-in-Chief
Amanda Anderson, Managing Editor of News and Features
Grace Berding, Managing Editor of Student Life
Ibrahim Munir, Managing Editor of Viewpoints
Caroline Horvath, Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Nick Robertson, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Allyson Garth, Business Manager
Emma Heines, Video Content Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Brian Sweeney, English Department Chair
NEWS SPREAD
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
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SECTION EDITOR: DREW BROWN
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THE FEB. 14, 2018 SHOOTING AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL IN PARKLAND, FLA. LEFT 17 DEAD. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN? IN ITS WAKE, STUDENTS TOOK TO THE STREETS, LEGISLATION CONCERNING GUNS WAS PASSED AND SCHOOL SAFETY BECAME A PREVALENT ISSUE.
One Year After Parkland STUDENT PERSPECTIVES
ISABEL NISSLEY /CHATTERBOX
“I’m still like activated and activating my activism,” SENIOR Perri Wedlock said. Wedlock sees herself as a longtime proponent of social justice. The Parkland shooting gave Wedlock an opportunity to support school safety at WHHS. “No one else was really taking charge and doing anything with the platform that we had,” so Wedlock stepped up, organizing walkouts and attending meetings of “city representatives.” Along with school safety, Wedlock works for more civil rights. “There should be no racial biases within any person that has any form of authority, whether it be police or Congressmen,” Wedlock said. When giving advice to other students and activists, Wedlock said “the worst thing for you to be is uninformed.”
Isabel Nissley, ‘20 It was Valentine’s Day 2018 when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. This day was supposed to be filled with love, candy hearts and homemade valentines, but instead students hid in darkened classrooms, fearing for their futures. When the gunman walked away with his guns, 17 students and faculty had lost their lives. But among the death and loss of the day, something began to grow. “I feel a mix of anger, sadness, but mostly passion,” David Hogg, a survivor of the shooting, told BBC. Hogg was not the only student that felt this way. Four days after the Parkland shooting, on Feb. 18, 2018, five students announced the March for Our Lives. “The Parkland students, along with young leaders of all backgrounds from across the country, refuse to accept this passivity and demand direct action to combat this epidemic,” their mission statement said. The Parkland students’ activism sparked a nationwide wave of walkouts, protests and marches calling for stricter gun control. They also inspired many WHHS students to activism, organizing their own walkouts and a visit to the Ohio Statehouse. This includes Yousuf Munir, ‘21. “Prior to the Parkland Shooting and
the Parkland kids stepping up and really pushing this movement and empowering like a lot of youth all across the country, I was not nearly as involved with activism,” Munir said. Munir participated in walkouts at WHHS to continue bringing attention to gun violence. He also helped found the WHHS chapter of the Students Demand Action club, which remains active today. But with the push for stricter gun control continuing almost one year after Parkland, what has changed? “I think that it’s very clear that since the tragic shooting at Parkland, we have started to make a great push and the movement has really gotten a lot of power,” Munir said. Nationally, there is a proposed bipartisan bill that would require universal background checks, introduced by Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) along with Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Mike Thompson (D- Ca-
lif.), according to the Washington Post. Additionally, 26 states have passed over 60 new gun safety laws, as reported by the Giffords Law Center End of Year Report. Ohio passed HB 1, which helps to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. Ohio lawmakers also tried to pass a bill with a “standyour-ground” provision in it, which would allow people to defend themselves with few restrictions, and often with firearms. However, after law enforcement and student testimony against the provision in the bill, it was removed from the bill, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. It is unknown if similar provisions in a new bill will be re-introduced under the new Governor Mike Dewine. Although legislation has been passed to attempt to curb gun violence in the United States, WHHS students, like Kayla Reidy, ‘21, still think there is more work to do. Reidy is also involved in the WHHS Students Demand Action club.
“I think that we still have a long way to go until everything is completely safe and every school and I think really the only solution for that is more common sense gun control.” - Kayla Reidy, ‘21
She is a proponent of the state of Ohio keeping “a registry of everyone who owns guns.” This could make guns at the scene of crimes easier to identify but would not be able to identify those who obtain guns illegally. However, maintaining a registry is currently “illegal,” Reidy said. Along with legislation, school safety has entered the national conversation about gun violence. After the Parkland shooting, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School faced new security measures, like having to carry clear backpacks. Students at WHHS also faced new security measures with the 2018-2019 school year. Cincinnati Public Schools installed metal detectors and additional security personnel. However, not all students feel that this was an effective way to protect students. “Overall, I don’t feel any safer,” SENIOR Perri Wedlock said. Wedlock largely attributes this to the metal detectors not being “taken seriously or used effectively.” However, she thinks “if anyone were to find a way to use them effectively, that would be good.” On Feb. 14, 2019, it will mark one year since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It will be a day of renewed activism for some, a tragic day of remembrance for others. And for some, it will just be another hearts-and-flowers Valentine’s Day.
TRENT WILLHITE /CHATTERBOX
On March 14, 2018, WHHS students walked out of class during third bell as a part of the National School Walkout. Students gave speeches, registered others to vote, and held a moment of silence for the 17 people killed one month earlier at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
ISABEL NISSLEY /CHATTERBOX
Yousuf Munir and Kayla Reidy, ‘21, were inspired to activism after the Parkland shooting. Munir sees the United States as “pushing really hard for the things that we want and that are good for us as kids and as people and as Americans,” in terms of gun legislation following Parkland. The House of Representatives is composed of a “majority of ‘gun sense’ candidates” and has “introduced a bill for universal background checks,” according to Munir. However, Reidy believes there is more work to do. “I think that we still have a long way to go until everything is completely safe and every school, and I think really the only solution for that is more common sense gun control,” Reidy said.
USA COURTESY OF: SERGEY DEMUSHKIN/ THE NOUN PROJECT
METAL DETECTOR COURTESY OF: ANDREJS KIRMA/ THE NOUN PROJECT
A gunman entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., shooting and killing 17 students and staff.
WHHS students participate in the National School Walkout. Afterward, about 40 WHHS students go to the Ohio Statehouse to support gun safety laws.
WHHS’s Student Resource Officer hosts an open forum with Black Culture Club on gun violence. BCC introduces the #notyourtargets campaign.
FEB. 14, 2018
MARCH 14, 2018
APRIL 18, 2018
ISABEL NISSLEY /CHATTERBOX
Gavin Kursman, ‘20, recently wrote an opinion piece for The Chatterbox, reflecting on the year that has passed since the Parkland shooting. “Schools are meant to serve as bastions for education, preparing us for our futures.” However, when guns and violence enter schools, this goal cannot always be met. “Rather than seeking to identify and address root causes of this homicidal behavior, the focus is directed at the tool— the gun,” Kursman wrote. Instead of working for gun control legislation, “only through open communication, acceptance of and investments in mental health and the reduction of stress and bullying will we prevent future Parklands,” Kursman wrote.
FEB. 21, 2018
WHHS students walk out of class at noon in response to the shooting. Students rallied in Blair Circle and wore white with an orange ribbon for unity.
MARCH 24, 2018
The March for Our Lives brings thousands to the streets, advocating for stronger gun control around the U.S., with the primary march in Washington, D.C.
APRIL 20, 2018
On the anniversary of Columbine, students walk out to continue bringing attention to issue of gun violence in schools and push for stronger gun safety.
SPORTS
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
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SECTION EDITOR: RYLEIGH SANBORN
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Pin it to win it in WHHS wrestling
PHOTO COURTESY OF WALNUT HILLS WRESTLING
With 10 wrestlers in total, this is the largest team the WHHS Wrestling program has had yet. New additions this year include their first female teammate Erin Martin, ‘22, and their head coach Estevan Molina. Jackson Dunbar, ‘19 The sound of the 2:30 p.m. bell holds a different meaning for almost every WHHS student hearing it. The WHHS Varsity Wrestling team interprets it as the cue to start making their way to the indoor complex at the Christopher South Field and prepare for another vigorous practice. Last season, SENIORS Isaac “Ike” Weyand-Geise and Alexander “Ander” Weyand-Geise were the only varsity wrestlers on the team. After school every day, they would walk to Purcell Marian High School to practice with Purcell’s team. Ike said, “We wanted to practice at Purcell because at Walnut our coach had to teach kids in the lower levels who were new to wrestling and we wanted to get varsity instruction.” The WHHS Wrestling team
is looking to set a new stepping stone this season that the program can build off of. Estevan Molina was named Head Coach prior to the season, and the program now has two varsity coaches and two junior high coaches, allowing practice time and organization to be better kept. Wrestler Darren Thomas-Dixon, ‘20, said, “Last year there wasn’t much balance, we just practiced and left. Now the coaches we have do a really good job at balancing out times we can be serious and times we can just joke around.” The team expanded from last year’s two to ten varsity players this season. Increasing numbers of players on a wrestling team results in more camaraderie and support. It doesn’t matter what sport it is, the larger the roster the merrier. An increase of five times will change the dynamic of any team drastically. Ike Weyand-Geise said, “How
many people we have is amazing for us. It’s nice having a big raw group coming at once that wants to compete and get better with each other.” Being on a team and practicing with more teammates allows everyone to compete with each other more. Coach Molina is trying to instill a culture where everyone is involved. Every good team requires trust and loyalty within. The coaches’ goals have been to show the players they will go above and beyond for them, so the players show the same commitment back. Molina believes explaining “why” is more effective than aggressive yelling in regards to motivating his players. “I’m not a big rah, rah guy and I rarely yell in practice or matches. Walnut students are smart and curious, so having the ability to intelligently communicate why we do the things we do has been a major key in motivating everyone,” Molina said. The team also added a female
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PHOTO COURTESY OF WALNUT HILLS WRESTLING
SENIORS Ike and Ander Weyand-Geise are pictured with Coach Estevan Molina after Senior Night on Jan. 9. wrestler this year. Erin Martin, ‘22, was being pushed by her friend and now fellow teammate to wrestle and, after witnessing a single preseason practice, she made the decision to join the team. “My friend begged me to join so I went to watch one of the preseason practices so he would just leave me alone, but it was just the coolest thing I’ve ever seen and it looked like so much fun, so immediately after that I decided to join,” Martin said. Martin was well aware of what being a devoted athlete and teammate meant before joining the wrestling team as she was already running track and cross country for WHHS. Wrestling being a male dominated sport and a rather tough and combative natured game, she had her doubts at first. Martin said, “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made to play. I thought I would feel a little weird
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but I feel at home with it because of the family atmosphere. Everyone’s so nice and supportive and I’ve met so many wonderful people. Plus I love the passion and thinking that goes into the sport. It’s like a mental chess game and I think it’s pretty amazing.” A high school sports team is like a seed in a pot. It can grow into a beautiful plant if the right strategies and tactics are applied. A program can become great but it’s not going to happen without action. Regarding improving as a whole squad, Thomas-Dixon said, “How the team interacts with each other outside of wrestling. We need to continue to build our team chemistry.” The team thrives on the notion that they can always be better. “Hopefully this is the new era for WHHS wrestling,” Ike Weyand-Geise said.
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FEATURES
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
SECTION EDITOR: DREW BROWN
WHHS’ living poets society
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AP Literature and Composition teacher Jake Riordan helps SENIOR Isabelle Brandicourt (left picture) and Louis Martini, ‘20, with ideas for a project. Riordan worked closely with his students during second quarter as they completed a comprehensive poetry study, including guiding them as they wrote poems in the style of a living poet and then sent their poem to the poet. Drew Brown ‘20 Poetry is a literary work that combines the writer’s distinctive style and rhythm, and can be as intimidating to write as it is to analyze. AP Literature and Composition teacher Jake Riordan tries to approach poetry in a special way. “I survey my students every year about what their strengths are in my AP English class and what their weaknesses are, and every year for the last several years, they’ve said that poetry is their weakness,” Riordan said. Riordan sees this as both an opportunity to improve the course and challenge himself, and so he began to read poetry over the summer before the 2018-2019 school year. “So I thought, why don’t [I] just start a unit with instead of a dead poets analysis, a living poets analysis?” Riordan said. Through the first 45 days of class, Riordan read poems from many different contemporary poets. During the middle of second quarter, his students selected a living, award-winning
poet to study multiple works and eventually, write a poem in their poet’s style. A key component to the project is that students understand their poet’s style and are able to replicate that style to produce an original work. “Contemporary poetry now is almost all free verse, very low rhyme, very little exact meter,” Riordan said. When replicating style similar to a contemporary poet, he recommended that the students “choose a poet who has gone through something that [they]’ve gone through” or that students find a poet whose message they resonate with. Following the end of the project, Riordan encouraged his students to send their poems to the poets they studied, and some students
ended up receiving responses from some of them. This includes several famous poets, including Billy Collins, the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001-2003. “So we have about at least 10 responses, some of them very specific [to the works of the students]” Riordan said. “To get the top coat of America to not just respond, but to respond specifically, like showing they actually read their poems, was a really exciting thing.” Many students in AP classes are, as Riordan says, “just trying to survive.” While many students are treading water in a sense to balance the work of all their classes, it may be tough to realize how great an experience
“To get the top coat of America to not just respond, but to respond specifically, like showing they actually read their poems, was a really exciting thing.” - Jake Riordan
truly is. Riordan hopes that in the future his students will appreciate how hard they worked to feel comfortable with and even write poetry, and how amazing it really is to receive feedback about their poems from contemporary poets. Riordan’s motivation for the project was to challenge himself and help his students feel less intimidated about poetry. “I like to think it made a difference in a lot of kids, it remains to be seen, I didn’t ask them in a kind of survey or anything but hopefully it was there,” Riordan said. Moving forward in his class, Riordan wants to bring in live poets to talk about their works that his students will have studied and read in class. The project influenced many students significantly, with some making multiple revisions to create an amazing piece of poetry, and others who found confidence in their writing enough to read their work to an audience, which Riordan offered as extra credit to encourage students to feel proud about their work and share it with their peers.
Students emboldened by Black History Month Spirit Week Themes: *Information courtesy of Black Culture Club
Monday, February 11th: Business/ Fancy Attire: defy stereotypes and dress professionally
Tuesday, February 12th: All Natural Day: durags, bonnets, natural hair and no makeup
Wednesday, February 13th: ESSAYE TEKIA /CHATTERBOX
Members of Black Culture Club work on a poster that will later hang in the Forum. Black Culture Club has been planning their festivities in recognition of the month for weeks, even coming into school on snow days to prepare. Essaye Tekia, ‘19 Originally a week-long event, recognition of black history was extended to a full month (February) on the fiftieth anniversary of its celebration. As Black History Month is upon us, WHHS students have been preparing. SENIOR Jonathan Brown, President of the WHHS Black Culture Club, has plans for this upcoming month. The current plans for Black History Month include decorating separate wings of the school as different decades, according to Brown. He said club members came to school during the cold days that school was closed. “We came in on that Wednesday and Thursday
we had off school and just started getting to work,” he said. Club members worked on the posters that are now hanging in the hallways. Brown also has plans for improving on last year’s Black History Month activities at WHHS. “I want this year’s focus to be on diversity, to show unity in the school, because we’re all coming from different places,” he said. Brown drew inspiration from the rhetoric of late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Students and staff alike also show their recognition of Black History Month. Danny Sorrells, a security guard at WHHS, said, “[Black History Month] is about celebrating all the black people that’ve done something special.
Another student, Saron Henock, ‘24, said, “It’s about celebrating black people, and celebrating the changes they’ve made for the world.” Brown added on to this idea. “Black History Month, to me, is powerful...It’s empowering to learn about your culture...even when it’s not talked about in school,” Brown said. Brown hopes that through the activities Black Culture Club is holding, they can raise awareness of black history in the student body. And according to him, WHHS can come together through its diversity and recognition of all the different people at this school.
Decades Day: each grade will be dresses as a certain decade
Thursday, February 14th: Historically Black Colleges and Universities Day: represent your favorite HBCU and wear that college’s spirit wear
Friday, February 15th: Black Friday: wear black to stand in solidarity with black history
ARCADE
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
PAGE 8
Perspectives
SECTION EDITOR: RYAN HILL
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
If you were stranded on an island for a year, what three items would you bring?
RYAN HILL/CHATTERBOX
“I would bring my phone, a pencil and a journal to draw on.” - Naomi Bronzie, ‘23
RYAN HILL/CHATTERBOX
“I would bring a blow up mattress to go along with my phone and clothes.” - Stephan Jackson, ‘23
RYAN HILL/CHATTERBOX
“I would bring a lot of clothes, my phone and a boat to sail on.” - Molly Adam, ‘20
RYAN HILL/CHATTERBOX
“I would bring my television, my phone and a book.” - Ethan Imm, ‘22
Can you escape the maze?